The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-20
The Commission Selects a Secretary


WASHINGTON, April 19.-Edward A. Mosely.
of Boston, has be en- elected secretary of the
Interstate commerce Commission He is DEM
,cratic member CT the Massachusetts Legisla-
lure. and of the committee on railroads
He was strongly Endorsed for one of the COM
nissonerships Mr.. Mosely has been mer-
,hant of high standing in Boston for many years.
he is resident of Newburyport
The Commission has declined to hear repre-
,entatives Of the transcontinental railroads on
Thursday of this week upon their application
Tor a suspension of the long-and short-haul
feature of the interstate-commerce lawE
The Commission has replied to Lewis Furz.
president of the st. Louis Miilers' Association,
praying relief against the discriminating rates
-four from Minneapolis under the tttransit"
system, which is alleged to preclude mills south
east of Minneapolis from competing with that
point for domestic or foreign trades The Com
mission does not understand the petition to
complain Of the rates established under the
Interstate commerce law. but that it, on the
contrary, comedies that the new rates are rea-
sonable as compared with those from st. Louis.
The complaint is that there is on hand large
accumulation of what is known as 'transts,"
worked off, and that, as consequence,
the new rates are ineffective except as
applied to local points between Minneapolis
and Chicago Thus. while the tariff is SO cents
per barrel between Minneapolis and Chicago, the
actual rate is still 10 cents per barrel. and the
milling interests of all other sections of the
country paralyzed by such a monstrous dis
elimination. 1t is clear. the letter continues,
that tho commission could not grant relief by
giving to St Louis exceptional advantages corre-
spending to those which Minneapolis is said now
oenjoy That would be discrimination against
other localities as indefensible and as much op-
posed to the spirit of the law as the transit sys
tenn itself Neither could the commission COM
pei the railroads upon which ST. Louis depends
to reduce their rates on flour to the level OF what
is said to be the actual rates from Minneapolis,
when as the petitioner comedies, higher rate is
reasonable. If the transit" system is per-
ncious it would obviously be understandable for
the commission to order or sanction ANYTHING
that would extend or perpetuate the mischief
'It may be questionable, perhaps" the commits
sion says, whether the so-caled transits have
such validity In law that the companies issuing
them are bound to give transportation according
to their terms when the effect would be to dis
criminato in favor of one or more localities and
against others. The question is not brought be-
fore us by your petition, and could only be raised
In some proceeding which would directly present
1t. and in which parties interested would have
opportunity to be heard"
Some of the stove-makers of New York pre-
pared a printed petition setting forth their
grievances and sent it to their fellow manu-
facturers in all parts OF the country. 1t was
accompanied by printed invitation to sign and
return, and by the statement that "the petitions
will be presented to the Interstate. commerce
Commissioners all at time, In such a man
ner as will best mutual interests y
One of the petitions and a copy of the invita-
tiop has reached the commission prematurely
The petition hears across its face the following.
MY Dear Sirs--It gives us much pleasure t o
tn nv &C taking "a fr,a
into consideration. between Philadelphia arc
points in New York to the West. they are equ it
able, and will add, it is tho first time in tweit,
years we have been able to say this. For thi
much feel grateful to the interstate cor /
merce BILL
This Endorsement bears the signature of
philadelphia firm.
Temporary orders were made suspending th,
1ourtn section 0! the act on the application o
the Norfolk Southern Railroad Company ant
the Cincinnati New Orleans Il Texas rail 70 ad
as to points south Of the Ohio and East o.: tn,
MISSISSIPPI and also on petition of the TIE xas &
racine railroad as to freight destined to FL raso
Seeking to Break Down the Law
Special to the INDIANAPOLIS journal,
WASHINGTON. April 19-Tho opponents O
the interstate-commerce law work a en tn
visitors to Washington so as to enlist thtir al,
in breaking it down. And it looks as though
they would be pretty successful The passen
ger tariffs to- and from Washington awe. 1t i
said, been increased in disproportion tc those a
other places. For through tickets the increas
is about 90 per cent. For instance. tie, increas
to ST. Louis is, in round figures, 50, to Indian
apolis 50 30: to Cincinnati, s., etc.
Visitors who go to the headqr.s rters o
the Interstatecommerce Commisson are. a
a rule. Disguised. They coolly received
and are displeased With the general pro
cedure. Ticket agents refusing 10 checl
baggage through, they used tc, an
will not sell combination tickets-th at is, ticket
over roads off trunk lines. and II aims wher
there is no general co operation. The commute
ton tickets are more extensive than they use
to be, and those sold are termed "eXeursio
tickets"
People from extreme portions of the countr
are condemning the law as they arrive here
Iney say they have trouble with NC kets, troubl
with baggage, and difficulties ia connection
which were not heard Of before the law wen
into effect. They account for t'ais STATE Of ai
fairs by the removal of eoInpetiti,n. in the enact
ment OF the Interstate law. tn 81 decisrt fha
the law will be blessing to the ! ! ailroade, az